Meinacht
Language: Dutch (Nederlands)
Ik zag in `t grondloos blauw
de sterren vonken,
En witte wolkjes komen en verdwijnen.
O klaar en koel, als menschlijke
oogen blonken
De gouden spranken,
die onze aard' beschijnen!
Toen sloeg ik d'oogen neer.
Mijn lippen dronken
Den zoelen wind,
vol geuren van jasmijnen,
En, droomensmoê, in stil genot verzonken,
Vergat mijn ziel de wilde winterpijnen.
Een nachtegaal,
op blanke bloesemtwijgen,
Verhief de stem en
zong een lied van minnen.
De lentenacht smolt weg
in aêmloos zwijgen.
Mij drong die vogelzang
door ziel en zinnen.
Uw vleug'len, zanger,
mocht ik vaak benijden,
Doch tienmaal meer uw lied
van liefde lijden!
Text Authorship:
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Rianne Stam) , "May night", copyright ©, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [
Administrator]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 25
Word count: 101
May night
Language: English after the Dutch (Nederlands)
I saw in the fathomless blue
the stars twinkle,
and white clouds come and go.
O, clear and cool as human
eyes gleamed
the golden sparks,
that light on our world!
Then I closed my eyes
My lips drank
the mild wind
laden with the scent of jasmins,
and, tired of dreaming, engrossed in quiet bliss,
my soul forgot the wild pangs of winter.
A nightingale,
on white-blossomed branches,
raised its voice and
sang a song of love.
The spring night melted away
in breathless silence
That birdsong penetrated
my soul and senses.
Your wings, singer,
I have often envied,
But ten times more your song
of love's labours!
Text Authorship:
- Translation from Dutch (Nederlands) to English copyright © by Rianne Stam, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 25
Word count: 109